Love You Forever (2013 Wattys Finalist)

Chapter 24 - Promises Part II

Robert began to panic as he struggled against the bindings that were keeping him tied up, fighting to breathe as something covered his head, making it difficult for him to get enough oxygen. While he struggled, he felt the bindings loosen and then realized he could sit up. When he did, his bedcovers fell off his head.

His heart was pounding and his body was shaking with fear as he pulled off his blankets from around his body, looking around his dimly lit bedroom to reassure himself he was alone. He fell back on his bed with a deep sigh, putting the crook of his arm over his eyes and tried to calm himself after his nightmare. Why couldn't he forget that shit? Wasn't it enough of a nightmare when he went through it the first time? It was like the sick bastard got to come back to torture him again and again.

Just like he tortured Georgie, Robert thought grimly. But he was lucky compared to her. It had been over three weeks since he'd last dreamt about that day, she got to relive what he did to her every single fucking night. He wondered briefly if she was still having the nightmares. Then he remembered the dark circles under her eyes in the picture she'd sent him and decided she probably was.

While he laid there trying to calm himself, images from the nightmare flashed through his mind. When he saw Georgie's pale slender body lying under that big guard, looking like she was being crushed while he was raping her, a terrible sadness overwhelmed him. How many men had hurt her like that while she lived in that hellish place? How many times had she lain under some big wanker with her blue eyes wide, staring blankly at nothing, escaping into another place in her head to keep from going mental?

It wasn't fair, Robert thought bitterly, she'd never deserved to be treated so cruelly. She'd been so young when it started, just a kid with braces on her teeth. And yet somehow she'd managed to survive. But then that had been the thing about Georgie that had always amazed him. Certainly she had problems, she'd been terribly affected by everything she'd gone through, but after all those years of abuse she'd remained a kind person, caring – and so sweet.

Robert felt tears come to his eyes for the first time in months as he remembered how incredibly sweet she was. She was beautiful, certainly the most beautiful girl he'd ever been in a relationship with, but that wasn't what mattered to him. It was her sweetness that drew him to her. It was her sweetness that made him fall in love with her. And now she was gone.

It was that sick twisted bastard who'd done it, Robert thought bitterly, wiping tears off his face with his hands. He'd been the one to fuck her up to the point where she could barely function in the real world. He'd been the one to make her feel like she had to run away from Robert to escape being tortured by him.

He remembered the bastard's words, 'You can have her now, if you still want her'. As if seeing the proof of how she'd been repeatedly abused would taint her in his eyes. As if having her raped right in front of him would make him reject her.

Robert's mobile started vibrating, startling him. Who the hell would call this early? He found it on the bedside table, then sat up as he looked at the display with shock.

He couldn't fucking believe it. Why would Georgie be calling him? He didn't expect he'd ever hear from her again. Not after that last e-mail she'd sent over a week ago. He wiped the tears off his face, wondering if he should answer it. But he knew if he didn't, she'd just keep calling back until he did. He cleared his throat a few times, not wanting her to know he'd been crying.

"Hello."

"Hi, Robert. It's me, Georgie," she said in her familiar soft voice.

Did she still not understand how mobile phones worked, he wondered, and the thought made him even more sad. He sighed and laid down, putting his arm over his eyes as he said, "Hi." There was a pause.